


honey, let your red heart show

by infernal



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Magical Accidents, Magical Shops that Appear out of Nowhere to Sell You Trouble-Causing Artifacts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23010307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infernal/pseuds/infernal
Summary: Reading the book together was, perhaps, a bad idea.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 6
Kudos: 114
Collections: Writing Rainbow Red





	honey, let your red heart show

**Author's Note:**

  * For [littlespaceposts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlespaceposts/gifts).



The shop hadn't been there before.

"You probably just didn't notice it," Jester said when Caleb pointed that out. "Come _on_ , Caleb, we really need those diamonds. And they might have books!"

Caleb had walked this street dozens of times; its image was firmly fixed in his infallible memory. There were all kinds of interesting shops in his mental inventory of the street, but none like these, with its somehow sinister awnings coming down from the roof like fangs, ready to devour them. But they _did_ need diamonds, and Caleb _did_ want books, and it was always so hard to say no to Jester, so he allowed her to pull him in through the door.

As strange as the shop looked, the strangest part was that the proprietor appeared to be a perfectly normal human being. All well and good in the Empire, of course, but this was Rosohna, and Caleb hadn't seen another human face aside from Beau's and his own in days.

"Ah, hello," Caleb said, stepping up to the counter while Jester slipped around to the far side of a shelf, ostensibly to peruse (but probably to draw dicks). "Do you sell diamonds, friend? Or perhaps other components for magical pursuits?"

"All that and more," the shopkeeper said, gesturing with a flourish to a shelf to Caleb's left. He blinked; a moment before, he could have sworn that shelf had housed a selection of vases and urns, but now it was indeed packed with all manner of spell components, all labelled in careful, spidery handwriting.

"He also wants books," Jester said, stepping out behind the shelf; Caleb's sharp eyes noticed ink staining her fingertips.

"Of course," the shopkeeper said, leaning over to peer at Jester. "And you do too, I'd imagine. You have the look of a reader." 

She beamed at him. "Well, Caleb and I have different tastes," she said. "I like exciting books, you know? Romantic ones. He likes things more... " 

"Academic," Caleb said, before Jester could say 'boring.'

"I'm sure if you peruse, you'll find something to both of your tastes," he said, gesturing to another shelf. This time it was to Caleb's right, and it had _definitely_ not been a bookshelf before, but a table housing an array of plants. "In fact, I guarantee it! You and your friend will find a book that will contain magical spells, with romance in abundance. You need simply peruse, and the right book will come to you." 

"I… see," Caleb said. There were a number of tomes on the shelf that caught his eye: old, crumbling, magical treatises with dry titles, which he added to the small pile of things on the counter he was accumulating. Jester was grabbing books at random, skimming through, and either wrinkling her nose and shoving them back onto the shelf or smirking, raising her eyebrows, and adding them to her own pile of items for purchase. 

"Caleb, I think this might be the book he was talking about!" Jester said, handing one to him. The title read _Magic in the Air: A History of Practical Studies in Arcane Romance_ ; Caleb wasn't sure whether it was a thesis or smut, but either way, he added it to his pile. 

"Ah, it's always a pleasure to find our... _guarantees_ met," the shopkeeper said. There was something strange in his smile, and his emphasis had Caleb nervous; though he would easily have spent another hour or more looking through the books in any other store, Caleb found himself in a hurry to leave.

"What a weird guy," Jester said once they had paid up and stepped back out into the street, the permanent darkness of Rosohna far more comforting than the ambiance of the shop. "Like, I don't know how a human dude is creepier than that woman with the long fingers who made everything out of bone, but he was _definitely_ out-creeping her!"

"He was certainly outstanding in that regard," Caleb agreed. "Let's get home and have a look at the books he sold us, ja?" He resolutely did not look back, somehow certain that the store would no longer be there.

* * *

Beau couldn't stop laughing. "So you're telling me you went to a shop that was definitely creepy and magical, met a guy who was _also_ creepy and magical, read the creepy, magical book he sold you, and now you're cursed?"

"It's not much of a curse," Jester said, looking down at where her hand was joined with Caleb's, their fingers wound together. "I mean, using the bathroom's gonna be gross, but, like, we're not _dying_. Unless… Caleb, were you reading ahead? Will this kill us?" she asked, tugging at his hand.

"I believe we read the same amount, unfortunately," Caleb said. He'd rested his hand on the corner of the book while he waited for Jester to catch up; she'd reached over to turn the page, and their hands had touched and not come apart. "Beau, if you would not mind reading ahead to see if it gives the counter-curse, we would both appreciate it. We're, ah. Reluctant to touch the book again until something changes."

"If I wouldn't mind reading the book that cursed you?" Beau asked, skeptical, but already reaching for the book. 

"I'll do it," Yasha offered. "Maybe everyone else should stay a little further back, though? Until I've finished reading?" She waited until Beau, a little reluctantly, pulled her hand back, and picked up the book. 

Beau was good at reading quickly, skimming until she found the pertinent information, which was why Caleb had asked her. Yasha was a more thorough reader, taking in every word; while she slowly made her way through the remainder of the book, Caleb sat in awkward silence, acutely aware of how warm Jester's hand was in his.

He shifted in his seat; it was more from the uncomfortable wooden chair than anything else, but Jester seemed to take it as impatience or frustration, and she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze before relaxing her grip again. They'd noticed in the first few minutes of trying to untangle themselves that the curse seemed to allow them to move their hands, as long as they stayed connected; they could loosen or tighten their grips, and move their fingers away so only their palms were touching. Now, Caleb loosened his grip and slid his hand around to rest on top of Jester's; she turned her hand as well, sliding her hand down and curling her fingers so the tips pressed lightly against Caleb's wrist. He fought a shiver, doing his best to keep himself still, though he felt, rather than saw, the knowing look she was giving him. 

"Oh," Yasha said, drawing their attention. Her lips curved into a soft smile as she leaned closer to the book. "That's kind of nice." 

"Did you find it?" Jester asked. "Because I _really_ wanted to sketch something tonight, and it's going to be kind of hard. Do you think the Traveler would mind if I drew him something with my other hand instead?"

"I'm sure he'd be delighted," Caleb said. 

"Here," Yasha said, carefully sliding the book across the table. "The last paragraph on the first page." 

_Except where such a gesture would be unwilling, the spell can be broken with a simple kiss,_ Caleb read. He glanced over to Jester, who finished reading and immediately looked at him with a ridiculous kissy face that had him unable to suppress his laughter.

The rest of the group was all still spread out over the room, and Caleb stood up, tugging Jester up along with him. "Perhaps we should break this curse somewhere more private?" he asked, and she nodded, leading him out of the room. As they left, Caleb heard Beau say, "Wait, what do they have to do, lemme see the book -- aw, shit, sorry, Yasha."

"Not a problem," Yasha said, her voice amused. "It turns out it's not such a bad curse to break."

* * *

They ended up in the garden, the lights above them twinkling gently. A good place for a first kiss, Caleb thought. "Shall we break this curse, then?" he asked, leaning in a little.

"Wait," Jester said, and Caleb froze. "What if our lips get stuck like our hands did?" 

Caleb huffed out a laugh. "Well, that would certainly be even more awkward than this. Do you want to risk it?"

"Let's go for it," Jester said, and then her lips were on his. They were as warm as her hand, almost burning where they touched his, yet Caleb found himself shivering again. He could feel the magic of the curse lifting, but he didn't bring his hand away from her, instead sliding it up her arm and around until he was cupping the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair. 

They broke apart slowly, and Jester blinked, her now free hand flexing. "That was really nice, Caleb," she said. 

Reluctantly, he let go. "It was," he agreed. "Ah, well. I suppose you have your drawing to do now?" 

"I think the Traveler would be okay with it if I drew later instead," she said. "You know, since my hand is all cramped now and everything. So, like, if you had any plans or anything, I don't know, but --" 

Caleb was already kissing her again.


End file.
